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16h ago

CBP Says Entry Denial for Norwegian Tourist Stemmed from Drug Admission, Not JD Vance Meme

Customs officials said they relied on Mikkelsen’s own cannabis admission after reviewing his phone at Newark Liberty International Airport.

What's The 'Bald J.D. Vance' Meme And Why Is A Norwegian Tourist Claiming It Led To His Rejection From The U.S.? The Viral Edit Explained
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A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer inspects flowers imported from Ecuador in the Avianca Cargo warehouse at Miami International Airport in this file photo from Feb. 7, 2025.

Overview

  • Mads Mikkelsen was stopped at Newark Liberty International Airport on June 11 and held after officers discovered a JD Vance meme on his phone.
  • Officers threatened him with a $5,000 fine or five years in prison to force him to unlock his device and questioned him about drug trafficking, terrorism and right-wing extremism.
  • Agents found two flagged images—a digitally altered JD Vance meme and a photo of a wooden pipe—before strip-searching him, collecting blood and fingerprints and sending him back to Norway the same day.
  • On June 25, US Customs and Border Protection issued a correction stating the denial was based on Mikkelsen’s admitted cannabis use, not any political content.
  • The episode has intensified scrutiny over border agents’ discretion and reflects the Trump administration’s tougher immigration enforcement and phone-search policies.